Empirical modeling of spatial and temporal variation in warm season nocturnal air temperatures in two North Idaho mountain ranges, USA

Accurate, fine spatial resolution predictions of surface air temperatures are critical for understanding many hydrologic and ecological processes. This study examines the spatial and temporal variability in nocturnal air temperatures across a mountainous region of Northern Idaho. Principal components analysis (PCA) was applied to a network of 70 Hobo temperature loggers systematically distributed across 2 mountain ranges. Four interpretable modes of variability were observed in average nighttime temperatures among Hobo sites: (1) regional/synoptic; (2) topoclimatic; (3) land surface feedback; (4) canopy cover and vegetation. PC time series captured temporal variability in nighttime temperatures and showed strong relationships with regional air temperatures, sky conditions and atmospheric pressure. PC2 captured the topographic variation among temperatures. A cold air drainage index was created by predicting PC2 loadings to elevation, slope position and dissection indices. Nightly temperature maps were produced by applying PC time series back to the PC2 loading surface, revealing complex temporal and spatial variation in nighttime temperatures. Further development of both physically and empirically based daily temperature models that account for synoptic atmospheric controls on fine-scale temperature variability in mountain ecosystems are needed to guide future monitoring efforts aimed at assessing the impact of climate change.     

黄土丘陵区天然和人工植被类型对土壤理化性质的影响

不同植被类型对黄土高原土壤质量的改善作用存在较大差异。研究天然和人工植被类型对土壤性状的影响差异对于深入认识黄土高原植被恢复与土壤环境演化的关系,准确评价不同植被恢复模式生态环境效益具有重要意义。该研究以黄土丘陵区燕沟流域为例,选择研究区广泛分布的11种天然和人工植被类型为研究对象,系统分析了该区天然和人工植被类型对土壤性状的影响。结果表明:天然和人工植被类型对土壤性状的影响差异明显。200cm土层土壤含水率大小为农田>天然草地>人工乔木林地>果园>人工灌木林地>天然灌木林地。与农田相比,天然灌木林地和天然草地土壤体积质量降低最为明显,人工乔木林地、人工灌木林地和果园土壤体积质量下降差别不明显。天然灌木林地、天然草地和人工灌木林地土壤有机质、全氮都有明显提高,人工乔木林地和果园土壤有机质和全氮提高不明显。不同植被类型土壤有机质、全氮总体随土层加深呈下降趋势,农田、果园和人工乔木林地土壤有机质和全氮垂直变化较小,而天然灌木林地、天然草地和人工灌木林地变化较大。不同植被类型土壤全磷含量差异较小,且垂直变化不明显。总体看来,天然植被类型对该区土壤性状改善作用优于人工植被类型,而人工灌木林的改善作用优于人工乔木林。     

Soil respiration as affected by vegetation types in a semiarid region of China

There are variations in soil respiration across vegetation types; however, it is unclear which factors are mainly responsible for the variations. A field experiment was conducted in 2008 and 2009 in a semiarid region of China to investigate the daytime and monthly variation of soil respiration across vegetation types and to determine the factors controlling the variation. An automated portable soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) flux measurement system was used to measure the soil respiration in shrubland, grassland, fallow land, and cropland during the growing periods. The results showed that the relative daytime variation amplitude of soil respiration in the fallow land and cropland was as small as that of shrubland and grassland during July, but greater than that of shrubland and grassland during August and October. A hysteresis effect for the relationship between the daytime soil respiration and daytime soil temperature was observed for all four vegetation types. There was also a hysteresis effect for the relationship between the daytime soil respiration and daytime air temperature for the grassland. Over the study period, the monthly soil respiration rates of the fallow land and cropland were statistically comparable and significantly lower than those of the shrubland and grassland, with the exception of August, during which the monthly soil respiration of the cropland was as great as that of shrubland and grassland. The factors responsible for the monthly soil respiration variation across the vegetation types differed from month to month. In general, the soil temperature and soil water content were mainly responsible in August and September; however, the root biomass predominated in July and October. The results are valuable for accurately estimating regional carbon fluxes by considering the temporal variability of the soil respiration variation across vegetation types in the Loess Plateau of China.     

Impact of climate variations on surface albedo of a temperate grassland

Albedo controls surface energy balance and affects the microclimate conditions of ecosystems. Changes in albedo could induce significant changes in climate. Anthropogenic and natural factors, such as land cover and land use change, could result in the albedo change of land surfaces. In this study, we used Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data and climate station observations to investigate the albedo patterns of a temperate grassland (Grasslands National Park, Canada) and its changes due to the impact of climate variations. Our study focuses on 3 years of data (2001–2003), each of which had a different climatic regime. In 2001, precipitation fell well below its historical mean, and drought severely affected agricultural production over the GNP region. In 2002, annual precipitation was well above its historical mean, although most of the precipitation fell in the late growing season and drought conditions still occurred in the early growing season of the year. In 2003, annual precipitation was slightly lower than its historical mean, but more precipitation fell in the early growing season. MODIS and climate station observations suggest (a) during the winter-to-summer and summer-to-winter transitional periods, air temperature plays an important role in determining the surface albedo by controlling snow absence and presence; (b) in the winter season, the amount of precipitation (snow) greatly affects the surface albedo of this ecosystem; (c) in the growing season, ecosystem water conditions can significantly alter the surface albedo of the semiarid grassland through their impact on plant growth and ecosystem conditions. These results show that surface albedo changes of this temperate grassland highly respond to climate variations. The results of this study have a number of implications in weather forecasting, climate change, and ecosystem studies. Our results stress the importance of (a) accurately simulating snow coverage fractions in regions where snow cover tends to exist throughout a long winter season, and thus, has a large influence on surface albedo; (b) accurately simulating temperatures during seasonal transitional periods (winter–summer or summer–winter) since they determine the dates that snow covers the land surface and, in turn, strongly impact on simulations of surface albedo; (c) explicitly linking the impacts of climate change with variations on surface albedo, and the feedbacks of the albedo response to the physical climate system, in the climate model projections.     

Pools and fluxes of biogenic carbon in the Former Soviet Union

The Former Soviet Union (FSU) was the largest country in the world. It occupied one-sixth of the land surface of the Earth. An understanding of the pools and fluxes of biogenic C in the FSU is essential to the development of international strategies aimed at mitigation of the negative impacts of global climate change. The territory of the FSU is represented by a variety of climate conditions. The major part of the FSU territory is in the boreal and temperate climatic zones. The climate in the FSU changes from arctic and subarctic in the North to subtropical and desert in the South. From west to east, the climate makes a transition from maritime to continental to monsoon. The vegetation of the FSU includes the following principal types: forest, woodland, shrubland, grassland, tundra, desert, peatlands and cultivated land. Arctic deserts and tundra formations are found in the northern part of the FSU; deserts and semi-deserts are found in the southern part.     

Field measurement of infiltration rate using an oscillating nozzle rainfall simulator in the cold, semiarid grassland of Mongolia

Recent intensive grazing in Mongolia may be significantly reducing the infiltration rate of rangeland. This study measured infiltration rates using simulated rainfall with high raindrop impact for small plots established on steppe grassland, desert grassland, and shrubland sites in Mongolia. The response of the infiltration rate to short-term livestock removal was also investigated. On the steppe grassland, a high infiltration rate was measured on an ungrazed plot with relatively dense vegetation cover; a statistically significant correlation was found between the total surface cover and final infiltration rate, indicating that surface cover by rock fragments also increased the infiltration rate to some extent. For desert grassland and shrubland, however, the surface cover condition was not a major factor controlling the final infiltration rate. After 4 years of livestock removal, the surface vegetation cover of the ungrazed plot was greater than that of the grazed plot, but no appreciable change occurred in soil penetration resistance. These results suggest that the high infiltration rate on the ungrazed plot was maintained mainly by the recovery of surface vegetation cover after the short-term livestock removal; this may indicate a potential mechanism of recovery from desertification processes for Mongolian rangeland.     

基于SEBAL模型评估干旱半干旱区人工灌丛植被对陆表蒸散的影响

评估人工灌丛植被重建对干旱半干旱区陆地生态系统蒸散的影响,不仅能揭示植被变化与水文过程的耦合机理,又可为区域生态治理与水资源管理提供科学指导。该研究利用Landsat-8OLI/TIR遥感影像及气象数据等驱动SEBAL模型,反演宁夏盐池县的年内不同日期的陆表蒸散,结合目视解译选取的人工灌丛区与对照草地,评估了人工灌丛植被对陆表蒸散的影响。结果表明:1)SEBAL模型的蒸散反演精度与站点观测结果较为一致,可用于干旱半干旱区蒸散反演及空间特征研究;2)盐池县人工灌丛植被区日平均蒸散为1.20mm/d,高于对照草地1.17mm/d的日平均蒸散量,即干旱半干旱区人工种植灌木林增加了生态系统水分消耗,但不同季节和不同生物地理条件下的蒸散增强作用存在差异,蒸散增强在8月份最大,而3、4月份呈现负效应;3)人工灌丛的密度越大、植被盖度越高,对陆表蒸散的增强作用越强,特别在NDVI0.4的高盖度情况下蒸散增强作用更加明显。由此可知,在水资源紧缺的干旱半干旱区开展以灌木树种为主的植被重建需在合理的生态水文阈值范围内开展,才能构建出稳定可持续的人工生态系统。     

祁连山区不同土地覆被类型下土壤水分变异特征

结合土壤、植被、地形等要素,建立黑河上游土壤水文观测体系,收集代表黑河上游区域特征的36个定位观测点土壤水分数据和12个气象站的降水数据,采用经典统计方法揭示祁连山区区域尺度上7种土地覆被类型下的土壤水分变异特征。结果表明,降水和植被特征是影响生长期土壤水分的主要因素。降水量大的土地覆被类型上土壤水分值较高。同时土壤水分值越低,降水补给和蒸散发消耗所引起的相对波动就越大,导致其变异性越大。由于植被根系对土壤水分的显著影响,高盖度草地、低盖度草地的土壤水分值在剖面各层变化不大,而农田、草甸、灌丛、林地和裸地土壤水分值随深度变化较明显。草甸、灌丛、裸地土壤水分整体均在夏季最高、秋季次之、春季最低。农田和高盖度草地土壤水分均呈现秋季最高、夏季次之、春季最低。土壤水分变异程度除灌丛外,存在春季变异最大,夏季次之和秋季最小的规律。降水是导致土壤水分值和变异系数在夏、秋季变化的主要因素,而土壤冻融过程则是导致其在春季变化的主要因素。总而言之,祁连山区土壤水分具有明显的空间分布差异与季节变化特征,与不同土地覆被类型的降水条件、植被特性和人工影响都有着密切的关系。     

The effect of land cover/vegetation on soil water dynamic in the hilly area of the loess plateau,China

Severe soil and water loss has lead to widespread land degradation in China's loess plateau. During the past decades, a great deal of effort was made on vegetation restoration to reduce soil and water loss in the loess plateau. However, due to water shortage the efficiency of vegetation restoration was not as satisfactory as expected. As part of a vegetation restoration project, we conducted research aiming to understand the relationship between vegetation pattern and soil water dynamics. The goal was to find vegetation types appropriate for the loess plateau with scarce water resources. In 1986, fifteen plots of land were planted with five vegetation types: pine woodland, shrubland, sloping cropland, alfalfa and semi-natural grassland. Soil water content, runoff, soil erosion were measured for each plot. Environmental variables, such as rainfall, evaporation and temperature, were recorded simultaneously by an automated meteorological station. The relationship between land cover pattern and soil water dynamic was evaluated by using statistical models. We found that: (1) soil water loss occurred during the growing season, and it reached the maximum in the second half of July; (2) soil water was not fully replenished from rainfall during the rainy season; (3) pine woodland induced the largest water loss to surface runoff, followed by sloping cropland, alfalfa, semi-natural grassland and shrubland; the poor capability of pine woodland for water conservation may be attributed to soil compaction and poor ground coverage under the tree; (4) in most cases, soil water of the five vegetation types was low except for shrubland and semi-natural grassland where it was moderate-high during a few periods. These conditions inhibit sustainable vegetation growth in the semi-arid loess hilly area of the loess plateau, China.     

The relative efficiency of four representative cropland conversions in reducing water erosion: evidence from long‐term plots in the Loess hilly area,China

Large areas of traditional slope cropland were recently converted to other land‐use types in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. In this study, we selected four representative conversion options of slope croplands, i.e., pastureland rotated with cropland (cultivated with Medicago sativa L. and rotated with Triticum aestivum L.), shrubland and woodland (afforested with Hippophae rhamnoides L. and Pinus tabulaeformis), and grassland (native herbage Stipa breviflora) to study the effect of land‐use conversion by comparing with traditional cropland. Compared with slope cropland, the relative effects of different conversion options on surface runoff and soil erosion were assessed over a 14‐year measurement period. Observations showed that distinct features and consequences of vegetation succession were found among the conversion options. Plots of shrubland had the highest vegetation coverage with dense undergrowth; natural herbaceous and subshrub species gradually spread into plots of grassland resulting in higher vegetation cover. Neither bushes nor herbs colonized the plots of Pinus tabulaeformis, which resulted in a higher percentage of bare soil. Significant differences in runoff generation, sediment yield and conservation efficiencies among the selected conversion options were detected through an analyses of variance (ANOVA). Compared with cropland, total runoff and sediment decreased by 65 per cent and 95 per cent in shrubland, 41 per cent and 92·5 per cent in grassland, 18 per cent and 77 per cent in woodland, and 12 per cent and 58 per cent in pastureland, respectively. The ranking of soil and water conservation efficiencies was shrubland > grassland > woodland > pastureland > cropland. Based on the effectiveness of soil and water conservation, shrubland and grassland are highly recommended as promising options for cropland conversion projects. However, pastureland and woodland are not suggested as potential options for slope‐cropland conversion because of low soil and water conservation in the long term. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

乌江流域土地利用变化的自然因子

自然因素是引起典型山地流域土地利用变化的主要原因,乌江流域作为典型山地流域,明确各自然因子在乌江流域土地利用类型转变中的贡献率,找到关键性驱动因子,从而为合理调整土地利用布局提供借鉴作用。以乌江流域为研究对象,基于时空性和整体性,采用2000年、2010年和2020年三期土地利用数据,综合各自然要素,利用增强回归树模型来分析土地利用变化的自然因子。结果表明:(1)2000—2020年乌江流域土地利用类型变化表现在,林地、灌木地、水体和人造地表面积比重明显增加,耕地、湿地面积显著减少,草地面积变化呈稳定趋势。(2)2000年和2020年对比发现乌江流域中部水体面积扩大,北部林地面积有所增加,东部耕地面积大幅度缩减。草地和灌木地空间变化不明显,呈嵌入式分布。人造地表以东南、西南、东北和西北部增加最为明显。(3)从贡献率方面考虑,降水对草地变化的贡献率最大,坡度对耕地的影响最大,植被类型对林地影响最大,影响湿地最大的自然驱动因子是坡度,气温是制约灌木地发展的最大自然因子,土壤类型对水体变化的贡献率最大,坡度是人造地表变化最大的自然驱动因子。草地变化的特征因子主要是降水、植被类型和气温; 耕地变化特征因子分别是坡度、高程和气温; 林地变化的特征因子是植被类型、高程和气温; 湿地变化的特征因子是坡度; 灌木地变化的特征因子是气温、土壤类型和植被类型; 水体变化的特征因子是土壤类型和植被类型; 人造地表变化的特征因子是坡度和植被类型。     

局地不同下垫面对气象要素的影响及其气候效应

本研究探讨了不同下垫面对气象要素的影响及其产生的气候效应, 以期为局地生态环境的改善提供科学依据.采用同步观测的方法, 对林地、草地、裸地与耕地4种下垫面进行气象观测, 并对获得的气象要素数据进行了分析.结果表明, 春季不同下垫面对气象要素的日变化有显著或极显著影响, 影响程度为风速>地表温度>空气温度>空气湿度.4种下垫面的气象要素在春季、夏季有显著或极显著差异, 而秋季、冬季差异不显著.对不同下垫面蒸散量和热量平衡及其各分量对气象要素影响进行了分析, 结果表明, 林地、草地的降温、增湿气候效应显著, 裸地具有干、热的气候特点, 耕地介于二者之间.     

Soil Moisture Variations with Land Use along the Precipitation Gradient in the North–South Transect of the Loess Plateau

Knowledge of soil moisture spatial variation with land use along the precipitation gradient is necessary to improve land management and guide restoration practice in the water‐limited Chinese Loess Plateau. This study selected 45 sampling points at 11 sites across the north–south transect of the Loess Plateau based on the precipitation gradient and land use. Results showed that the vertical profiles of soil moisture revealed large variations with the precipitation gradient changing, especially in the surface layer (0–100 cm). Significant linear correlation existed between the average soil moisture of the profile and the mean annual precipitation (MAP) for each land use type (p < 0·05). Hereinto, the soil moisture under the grassland was affected more greatly by precipitation. The soil moisture under each land use commonly revealed the trend as farmland > grassland > shrubland > woodland, while it might be higher under the woodland than the shrubland in the surface layer in regions with MAP <500 mm. The soil moisture of woodland or shrubland at the selected points was below or approximate to the permanent wilting point in regions with MAP <520 mm. Covariance analysis confirmed the effects of land use and MAP on the soil moisture in depth of 100–300 cm, and it showed land use did not pose significant effects in the surface layer. In addition, our study indicated that it is necessary to reconsider and re‐evaluate the current vegetation restoration strategy in the perspective of vegetation sustainability and soil water availability, in which woodland and shrubland were selected on a large scale in the arid and semi‐arid regions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不同沙地生境下柠条灌丛化对草地土壤有机碳含量及分布的影响

为揭示不同沙地生境下灌丛化草地土壤有机碳及其组分的分布特征,以宁夏盐池县沙化草原不同沙地生境(丘间低地、固定沙地、半固定沙地、流动沙地)下不同发育期的柠条灌丛斑块及其对应的草地斑块为研究对象,对土壤颗粒组成、土壤有机碳(soil organic carbon,SOC)、颗粒有机碳(particulate organic carbon,POC)及易氧化有机碳含量(labile organic carbon,LOC)进行分析。结果表明:1)各沙地生境发育中期灌丛斑块的SOC、POC、LOC及POC/SOC极显著高于草地斑块(P0.01),而LOC/SOC在灌丛和草地斑块间差异性不显著;2)从丘间低地、固定沙地、半固定沙地到流动沙地,灌丛斑块及其对应的草地斑块SOC、POC、LOC及LOC/SOC均在固定沙地出现峰值,然后呈下降趋势,表明固定沙地及不同沙地生境发育中期的灌丛斑块和草地斑块是SOC、LOC及POC变化的临界点;3)相关分析发现,发育中期2种斑块SOC与POC及LOC间及SOC与LOC/SOC间均呈极显著相关(P0.01),但土壤黏粉粒与各组分有机碳及其分配比率间没有显著相关,因此LOC和POC可作为表征草地退化最敏感的指标。研究可为沙化草原土壤恢复研究提供理论依据。     

Impact of small mammal disturbances on sediment yield from grassland and shrubland ecosystems in the Chihuahuan Desert

This study examines water and sediment movement on Summerford bajada in the Jornada Basin, N.M. Forty-five rainfall simulation experiments were conducted on 1- and 2-m² runoff plots in grassland, degraded grassland, and shrubland communities. Within the shrubland community separate experiments were conducted in shrub and intershrub environments. Regression analyses indicate that for a 30-min rainfall at approximately 130 mm h⁻¹, water yields on these environments are negatively related to the percentage of ground covered by vegetation and/or litter. In the degraded grassland and intershrub environments, sediment concentration is positively correlated with the average diameter of small mammal disturbances, suggesting that animal digging is an important factor controlling rates of erosion in these environments. Sediment concentration is not correlated with any surface property in the grassland or shrub environments. An analysis of water yields and sediment concentrations at 5-min intervals during the 30-min simulated rainfall experiments reveals that the influence of the above-mentioned factors on runoff and erosion is established during events as short as 10–15 min.     

东北地区耕地扩张对地表增温/降温的生物物理机理分析

土地利用/覆盖变化对气候具有重要影响,为探讨耕地扩张的气候效应,基于土地利用数据及MODIS遥感资料,采用窗口搜索法,利用能量平衡的原理,研究2000−2018年东北地区耕地扩张的潜热和净短波辐射通量变化,分析耕地扩张对地表温度的影响。结果表明：（1）研究期内东北地区耕地面积增加1.6×104km2,主要来自林地和草地,分别占耕地扩增面积的16.33%和76.24%。（2）与林地相比,耕地白天对地表具有增温作用,夜间具有降温作用,全天具有增温作用,并具有明显的季节特征。夏秋季节耕地的蒸散发弱于林地,潜热通量比林地少,导致耕地对地表具有增温作用,冬季耕地的净短波辐射远少于林地,导致耕地对地表降温。（3）与草地相比,耕地夜间总体的降温效应稍强于白天的增温效应,使耕地全天对地表具有降温效应,并具有不同的季节特征。夏秋季节耕地的蒸散发强于草地,耕地的潜热通量比草地多,成为耕地对地表降温的主要原因,而在春冬季节,耕地与草地吸收的净短波辐射差异较小,同时潜热差异也较小,因此对地表的增温/降温效应不明显。     

Changes in soil properties across a chronosequence of vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau of China

Soil fertility is important for vegetation growth and productivity. The relationship between vegetation and soil fertility is important for both scientific and practical reasons. However, the effects of soil fertility on vegetation development and succession are poorly documented on the Loess Plateau. In this study, we compared soil properties of the Yanhe Watershed in northern Shaanxi across five different land uses (shrubland, farmland, natural grassland, woodland and artificial grassland) and a chronosequence of soils undergoing restoration for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years. We found that revegetation had a positive effect on soil bulk density decrease, total porosity and capillary porosity increase in the surface soil layers but not in the subsurface layer. Additionally, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available nitrogen and available potassium were greater at shrubland and woodland sites compared with other land uses. Total phosphorus and available phosphorus were greater at farmland sites. Results of the study indicate that revegetation on eroded soil can produce important increases in soil fertility on older plantations and in areas with natural succession.     

黄土丘陵区小流域植被恢复的土壤养分效应研究

研究了安家坡小流域荒草地、山杏林地、农地、油松林地、灌木林地、弃耕地等地类的土壤养分特征。结果表明,植被系统具有较强的养分表层富集功能;不同植被恢复类型对土壤养分含量有明显的影响,主要表现在不同土层土壤有机质、速效磷、速效钾、硝态氮和铵态氮含量在不同植被类型间存在显著的差异性;人工灌木植被对土壤的培肥作用高于乔木植被;农地弃耕(撂荒)有一定的土壤培肥作用;对水土流失极为严重的黄土丘陵沟壑区来说,在退耕还林还草时应优先考虑恢复灌木和草本等先锋植被;在土壤质量改善到一定程度时,再进行乔木的间植;农地弃耕是一种节省人力物力而其生态环境效应又很好的双赢途径。     

Evidence for the influence of agriculture on weather and climate through the transformation and management of vegetation: Illustrated by examples from the Canadian Prairies

This paper lists selected observational and modeling studies which provide evidence that agriculture, through the transformation and management of vegetation, has had, and continues to have, an impact upon the weather and climate on the local, regional and global scales. The influence of agriculture on weather and climate, through the alteration of the physiological properties of the land cover, is illustrated by examples from the cropped grassland of the Canadian Prairies.The physiological and physical properties of the vegetation, along with the land cover's impact upon the level of available soil moisture, affect the weather and climate by influencing the transfer of heat, moisture and momentum from the land surface to the overlying air. The principle physiological properties are leaf area, stomatal resistance, and rooting depth; the main physical properties are albedo and surface roughness. By land clearing, cultivation and the grazing of domesticated animals, man has transformed and now manages the vegetation over vast areas of the globe. Agriculture influences the availability of energy and water vapour mass for moist deep convection on the local and regional scales. By creating latent heat flux discontinuities, it may induce mesoscale circulations that initiate moist deep convection. Agriculture, by affecting the level of stored soil moisture, moisture that is available to the vegetation during a later period, may influence the level of convective activity within a region during a subsequent season. Thus agriculture, through the physiological and physical properties of the land cover, has had, and continues to have, an impact upon near surface weather elements and, more significantly, upon the regional hydrologic cycle.Spatially coherent and persistent patterns of thunderstorms play a role in the export of heat and moisture from lower to higher latitudes—this may effect the general circulation. Thus agriculture, by influencing the occurrence, location and intensity of moist deep convection, particularly in the tropics, may also influence global weather and climate.     

SOIL SEED BANK CHARACTERISTICS BENEATH AN AGE SEQUENCE OF CARAGANA MICROPHYLLA SHRUBS IN THE HORQIN SANDY LAND REGION OF NORTHEASTERN CHINA

To understand how shrub cover affects the spatiotemporal patterns of the soil seed bank and to assess the role of vegetation in the restoration of desertified land in a semi‐arid region of China, we investigated the species composition and seed density of the soil seed bank under and outside the canopies over two seasons for an age sequence of Caragana microphylla shrubs in the Horqin Sandy Land region, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that a total of 24 plant species seeds were present in the soil seed bank, of which 20 were annuals or biennials. The seed densities in the soil seed bank were in the range of 830 – 13882·5 seeds m⁻² at 10 cm depth. Species richness in the soil seed bank did not increase as the shrubs aged, whereas the seed densities increased significantly. Five annual species: Setaria viridis, Eragrostis pilosa, Chenopodium acuminatum, Chenopodium glaucum and Corispermum acuminatum, contributed above 90 per cent of the seeds to the soil seed bank. On the basis of seed characteristics and seed reduction amount during the growing season, we concluded that it represents a mixture of persistent and transient seeds in different proportions. More seeds accumulated under the canopies than outside the mature shrub cover, but no significant difference was found the younger cover. These results suggest that shrub size and age had an important role in augmenting seed abundance of the soil seed bank but not the species richness. We confirmed the important effects of shrub cover on seed accumulation and vegetation recovery, especially the value of more mature age vegetation for countering land degradation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.